Closed system warming catheter and method of use

Abstract

An apparatus and method for warming the urethra of a patient during ablative surgery. In one embodiment, at least one ablative surgical device is inserted into a prostate region of the patient. A warming assembly is inserted through the patient's urethra and into the bladder. The warming assembly is operated to warm an outer surface thereof during operation of the ablative surgical devices. The urethra is warmed by the outer surface of the warming assembly to preserve living tissue thereof. In one embodiment, the portion of the warming assembly inserted through the patient's urethra is an electrical coil heated warming catheter subassembly. In another embodiment the inserted portion is a microwave heated tube warming catheter subassembly. Another embodiment comprises an RF heated warming catheter subassembly. An opening is preferably included to provide access for an endoscope or for fluid drainage.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. Ser. No. 10 / 426,807 filed on Apr. 30, 2003.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to urological warming and cooling devices and more particularly to a warming catheter and method of warming the urethra of a patient during ablative surgery. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Cryosurgical probes are used to treat a variety of diseases. The cryosurgical probes quickly freeze diseased body tissue, causing the tissue to die after which it will be absorbed by the body, expelled by the body or sloughed off. Cryothermal treatment is currently used to treat prostate cancer and benign prostate disease, breast tumors and breast cancer, liver tumors and liver cancer, glaucoma and other eye diseases. Cryosurgery is also proposed for the treatment of a number of other diseases. [0006] The use of cryosurgical probes for cryoablation of the ...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, other necrosed tissue may slough off and pass through the urethra, often causing undesirable blockage.

As a result, the urethral tissue near the bladder neck sphincter (near the hot water outlet) is heated more than the urethral tissue near the external sphincter, creating a strong thermal gradient in the prostatic urethra and an uneven heating effect.

By the time the hot water reaches the external sphincter, it may have lost so much heat to the upper region of the urethra that it is not warm enough to protect the external sphincter from freezing.

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